It’s a Game Four Game Night in Smashville as the Nashville Predators attempt to take a 3-1 lead in their second round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the St. Louis Blues. I’ve been writing this blog since 2004 and I never have had the pleasure of writing that sentence at this point in the playoffs. The bounce back this team showed in game three was a joy for Pred Nation to behold… but there is much more work to be done.
My expectation is that the Blues come out hard tonight… hard and physical. This is a proud team that won’t go out easy, head coach Mike Yeo did not like being dominated the way his team was and was very blunt in his postgame comments, promising changes to the lineup. Keep in mind that St. Louis hasn’t lost back-to-back games since the beginning of March. Also keep in mind that this Blues team has the capability to go on a run as after those back-to-back losses, they went on a six game win streak. The St. Louis Blues know how to bounce back as well.
Nashville must elevate its game again… as they did coming into game three. They came out with speed, they initiated and they were rewarded. The encouraging thing for Pred Nation is that, so far, a hot goaltender hasn’t derailed them completely… Sure, Jake Allen was the reason the Preds could not comeback in game two, but Nashville has gotten traffic in front of him and as the old saying goes… you can’t stop what you can’t see.
The watchword for Nashville has to continue to be possession. When the Preds win the faceoff battles and establish a possession advantage so far in these playoffs, they win… period. However, a key to this series for both teams has been discipline. When each team has lost their discipline, they have been smacked down… the Preds In game two, the Blues in games one and three.
St. Louis has had no answer for the Predators balanced scoring attack and now comes news that Craig Smith has resumed practice, which may add another potential threat to the Preds lineup. His quotes from yesterday’s session certainly indicates he is close to return. I can only imagine, given the various ways this team can play, that it must be a nightmare to develop a game plan for Nashville’s opponents.
The rest of the league seems to discover this every playoff year, but the atmosphere in Smashville is simply crazy and you can expect another completely insane night at Bridgestone Arena, Smashville is completely sold out, however, the normal compliment of 100 $15 day of game tickets will be available this morning and there is a good chance that standing room only tickets will be available as well. Check the Predators website for more information.
There will be a party on the plaza getting started at around 5:30pm, doors open at 6:30pm, faceoff at approximately 8:45pm. There will be a few “Only in Smashville… moments tonight so be in your seats early.
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The gauntlet has been thrown down from my fellow blogger in St. Louis, Jason Millen. We will make a small wager on this series… losing team’s blogger makes a donation to the winning team’s blogger charity of choice…
Mine will be Best Buddies of Tennessee… a charity very familiar to fans of the fang…
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Round Two
Eastern Conference
NYR vs OTT – OTT leads 2-0 - Game three is tonight in New York
WSH vs PIT – PIT leads 2-1 - Game four is tomorrow night in Pittsburgh
Western Conference
STL vs. NSH – NSH leads 2-1 - Game four is tonight in Nashville
ANA vs. EDM – EDM leads 2-1 - Game four is tomorrow night in Edmonton
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Playoff Random Notes
- Nashville’s defense is getting a lot of well-deserved love as they have delivered everything asked of them and more.
- The team seems to be incredibly focused, blocking out the craziness that is building around them… man… there ain’t nothing like a city on a playoff run!
- I cannot believe the crazy comments I have been seeing about ESPN’s layoffs… there are actually writers blaming the NHL for the layoffs! Seriously… ESPN is short sighted and screws the league… the league establishes a GREAT relationship with NBC who covers every single game of the playoffs (something ESPN would not do) and somehow the NHL is to blame??? Ummmm stretch much?
- Someone needs to tell Pittsburgh writers that the league is about more than one player… believe it or not…
- I wish I saw as many columnists in Pittsburgh complaining about dirty play when the Pens employed Matt Cooke…
- Two games in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight – 6pm – OTT @ NYR (NBCSN). 8:30pm – STL @ NSH (NBCSN).
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